“I need to do something first.”
“What is it?”
I smile against his mouth.
“You’ll see.”
Once we are both clean enough, Baezal plucks me from the water and carries my dripping body back towards our room.Without delay, he sheathes himself inside me.Our souls fuse together as one.Our connection is permanent.We make love until the sun begins to set, and our rumbling stomachs cannot be ignored.
Tomorrow we will embark on our new adventure, but there is one final demon from my past that needs to be eradicated before I can move on with my new life.
Well, maybe two.
7
WILLOW
Watching dozens of my Sisters flee Thorncatcher Monastery without so much as a backward glance warms my heart.
To be fair, there wouldn’t be any reason for them to stay.The once-proud structure, with its wrought-iron steeples, now sits smoldering.With each passing minute, large swaths of the building crumble in on itself, blanketing the grass with ash.
It was hard coming back here.If I’m being honest, I nearly didn’t do it.If Father Knoll had not come to Shadowveil Church yesterday, I’m certain I would’ve left with Baezal and never thought of this place again.However, my confrontation with him had left me rattled.I knew I couldn’t embark on my new life before settling the score of my last one.
I was far from the only Sister Father Knoll targeted.His lecherous deeds were whispered about long before I arrived here.Countless Sisters have suffered within these walls.Now that they, too, have been freed, they can do as they please.Whether that is to rejoin another order or start a life far from the True Faith, the choice is theirs.
The only one not getting to decide her future is Sister Grayvle.She is just as guilty as Father Knoll.She was his dutiful aide who led to the suffering of so many women and girls.With Baezal’s help, I made sure her cruelty would never harm another.
Currently, she sits bound and gagged in the monastery’s cellar.She’ll be lucky if the rats eat her before the flames claim her.
As each figure draped in white hurries through the open gate, peace settles inside me.Watching them go, I know I made the right decision to return.I’ve given them all the same gift I was: a choice.Without my action, Sister Grayvle would’ve found a replacement for Father Knoll.One who was just as cruel.
Baezal stands beside me, watching the Sisters leave silently.Rescuing them would’ve been impossible without his help.Some had been wary upon his arrival—they were all taught the same lies about gargoyles as I was.That apprehension faded once they saw the depth of his kindness.
At some point during the day, I fell even more in love with him.A feat I didn’t know was possible.
Turning towards me, a soft evening breeze blows the silky strands of his hair.Dusk has fallen, and the stars twinkle above us, dancing in their indigo sky.
“Ready to go?”he asks, twining his arm around my waist.
The leather strap of my satchel digs into his large chest.I took a few things with me before we torched the monastery.My personal effects had luckily remained untouched during my time in confinement.There were only a few pieces I wished to take with me into my new life.
My most valued being my well-loved, dog-eared copy ofThe Knight’s Heart, packed carefully inside.Additionally, I managed to save a few drawings and coins we pilfered from Father Knoll’s office.Each Sister had been given a decent sum from his deep coffers.It was enough for them to procure safe passage wherever they wished to go.
I smile up at Baezal, pressing my palms to his strong chest.
“There’s one last thing I want to show you before I never return to this place again.”
Smoke hangs heavy in the air as I take Baezal’s hand in mine and lead him away from the burning building.The soft grass snags at the hem of my green gown.It doesn’t take long for us to reach the small garden nestled under a willow tree.It’s where I was left as a baby.The Sisters who discovered me saw it fitting to name me after the tree that guarded me through the night.
That’s why I’ve always felt attached to the patch of land here.All manner of wildflowers bloom from the beds.Golds, pinks, purples, and blues create a cacophony of colors.They grow tall with sturdy stems, broken up only by the straight sprigs of lavender.The scent is heavenly.
“This was the only happy place I had here,” I sigh.“I tended to it every day for hours.It’s the only place I’ll miss.I put so much love into it.”
Baezal’s hand cups my cheek, drawing my eyes up towards him.His expression is soft, a look of understanding kindling in his gaze.I smile up at him, ignoring the stinging in my eyes.
“I want to give it a proper goodbye.”
Pressing up on my toes, I meet his mouth with mine.Our kiss is soft, reverent, and sets my blood on fire.
